Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Sheehan calls for all-Ireland health regulation

Sinn
Féin Health spokesperson Pat Sheehan is calling for the regulation of
health professionals to be conducted on an all-island basis.

The West Belfast MLA was commenting as Sinn Féin made its formal submission to the consultation on current proposals to reform the regulation system for healthcare professionals in the NHS.

He
said: “Sinn Féin is concerned that the consultation did not consider
the negative impact that Brexit will have upon the delivery of health
services in the north and across Ireland. It is our position that
regulation should be conducted on an All-Ireland basis to allow for the
greater movement of health professionals north and south.

“We
also have a number of other concerns including the proposal to reduce
the number of regulatory bodies without a detailed explanation for these
changes and in the absence of proposals for increased All-Ireland
regulation.

“In
the absence of this, Sinn Féin believes the regulatory system and
bodies must take account of similar regulatory frameworks in the South
to ensure there is collaboration and a recognition of respective
processes. This would enable the creation of either a dual recognition
or an all-Ireland health regulatory system to match the unique and
everyday realities of delivering healthcare on the island of Ireland.
Sinn Féin also recommends the automatic joint registration of
registrants of regulatory bodies on the island of Ireland as a practical
way to addressing work force issues and ensuring public safety.”